Claflin cuts ribbon on new student center

The student center ribbon cutting was held March 22 (Larry Hardy/TheTandD.com)

President Dwaun J. Warmack cut the ribbon for Claflin’s new student center on March 22, a ceremony that marked the official grand opening of the new facility.

The ribbon cutting was followed by guided tours of the completed building for students and other attendees. All included retail locations were open, and the theater offered its first screening of “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire”

Kourtney Massop, a senior criminal justice major, said that the first look was worth the wait and even surpassed her expectations. She said it is a needed addition.

“We have more resources here I feel like, from the food and actually having food we desire to eat, and also having spaces where we can just be ourselves or even spend time with our friends outside of our dorms,” Massop said.

Massop said the student center can get students more involved with campus life, helping them build relationships with each other. She said students did not have many places to go during or after COVID.

“It gives people a space to get out of their room and just meet new people,” Massop said. “It’s a better form of communication and just interacting with new people, just getting that one-on-one interaction with people.”

Before cutting the ribbon, Warmack gave his public thanks to everyone involved in the planning and construction process.

“Oftentimes I get to stand up here with the mic and get the credit,” Warmack said. “But these are the individuals that put the dedication and hard work in.”

Special thanks were given to Trustee William Johnson, who Warmack said played a key role in the project. Johnson, a Claflin graduate, made it part of his promise to give back to the university.

“You committed to being a leal and loyal son of this institution and you’ve remained faithful,” Warmack said. “But because of that, your generous donation and your willingness to broker relationships, this will be here forever.”

The 80,000-square-foot, $40 million student center at Magnolia and Goff Avenue features a 172-seat theater with first-run movies, eSports center, meeting/conference rooms, food court with national eateries and an 800-seat ballroom.